December 15th 2016 – Vancouver, British Columbia – LiCo Energy Metals Inc. “The Company” or “LiCo” TSX-V: LIC OTCQB: WCTXF and Nevada Energy Metals Inc. TSX-V: BFF OTCQB: SSMLF Frankfurt: A2AFBV are pleased to announce that following positive results from an expanded soil sampling program, 71 new placer claims have been added to the Company’s Black Rock Desert Project, Nevada.
Results from the program continued to show strongly anomalous results with 88 samples collected; 73 of them (83%) containing more than 100 ppm Li. Together the combined grids contain 258 samples of which 239 samples (93%) had values of greater than 100 ppm Li. Maximum values ranged up to 520 ppm Li.
These results show that dissolved lithium has been transported into this portion of the Black Rock Desert and is available for potential concentration by evaporative brines. The exploration model for the Black Rock Project is a Clayton Valley evaporative brine deposit as described in USGS Open File Report 2013-1006.
Geochemical sample points were arranged to expand on the original 170-sample grid. Samples were collected on 200 meter intervals along lines spaced 350 meters apart. Samples were collected by a contract crew and transported to the ALS sample preparation lab in Elko, Nevada. Samples were screened to -80 mesh at the ALS prep lab in Reno, Nevada and analyzed by Aqua Regia leach mass spectrometry at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver, B.C. Canada. QA/QC standards were inserted into the sample stream with one in twenty samples being a standard. All 6 standards in this batch were within 3% of their accepted value of 750 ppm.
About the Blackrock Desert Lithium Project:
The Black Rock Desert Lithium Project now consists of 199 placer claims, (3,980 acres/ 1,610 hectares) located in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada. The nearest population center is the town of Gerlach, which lies 177 kilometers north of Reno.
The western arm of the Black Rock Desert covers an area of about 2,000 square kilometers and contains 5 of the 30 currently listed Known Geothermal Resource Areas in Nevada. The property covers an area of playa underlain by a moderately deep basin interpreted from gravity and seismic surveys, indicating a maximum thickness of valley-fill deposits of about 1,200 m/3,600 ft. A high salt content prevents any significant vegetation from growing on the playa surface.
Locally, the basin is being fed in part by boiling springs and siliceous sinter containing strongly anomalous lithium values (up to 3.5 ppm) that flank the property on the west side (U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 81-918). While these lithium values are well below those of producing lithium brines, they do represent a significant source of metal available for evaporative concentration within the playa basin.
The company plans to carry out additional exploration programs this fall to determine the potential for an economic lithium brine deposit. Future exploration will consist of shallow auger sampling followed by a high resolution geophysical program to define potential drill targets.
LiCo Energy Metals Has entered into an agreement with Nevada Energy Metals to acquire a 70% interest subject to a 3% NSR royalty in the Black Rock Desert Property. Nevada Energy Metals holds a 100% interest in the property, free of royalty payments.
Qualified Person: The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alan Morris CPG, Elko, Nevada.
About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/
LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a fully funded Canadian based exploration company who’s primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company’s focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacturing of lithium ion batteries.
The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Cobalt Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto property currently under option to LiCo Energy Metals.
In addition, LiCo Energy Metals has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The geologic setting and presence of lithium in active geothermal fluids and surface salts in Dixie Valley match characteristics of producing lithium brine deposits at Clayton Valley, Nevada and in South America.
The Company’s latest addition is an option to earn an undivided 70% interest, subject to a 3% Net Smelter Return Royalty, in the existing Black Rock Desert Lithium Project that consists of 199 placer claims (3,980 acres/ 1,610 hectares) in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
The Company is planning an exploration programs for all its properties over the next several months.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors:
Rick Wilson, President & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information:
This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions such as Exchange approval of the Option Agreement and the Company’s ability to exercise the Option, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.
